Shattered Pieces
by introvertedllamas
Summary: A Solangelo fanfic taking place in the infirmary.
1. Chapter 1: Awakened

Nico opened his sleep-crusted eyes, blinding light flooding into his vision. He groggily curled his arm over his face to block it out. There shouldn't have been this much light in his cabin. Nico reluctantly removed his arm and looked walls, white floors, white sheets. This was definitely _not _his cabin.

He tried to bolt up, but a searing ache coming from his rib cage stopped him. He let out a small gasp at the sudden pain. Nico's eyes darted around the room as he tried to sort through a kaleidoscope of memories. Images of inky darkness, distorting forest paths, and splashes of scarlet blood flashed through his mind. He pressed his palms to his forehead in attempt to ease his throbbing head.

He studied his surroundings once more, determined to keep an even mind this time. The infirmary. He was in the infirmary. He glanced down at the rest of his body, taking in gauze around his side and forearm and the mint-green hospital gown he was dressed in.

Nico's confusion swirled into anger. "This is ridiculous," he muttered to himself, ripping the bandages and syringe off his body. He sat all the way up despite the bolt of pain and swung his legs over his temporary bed. As soon as his bare feet made contact with the tile, he crumpled onto the cold ground. He inhaled sharply as his hand rushed to cradle his side. Black dots invaded his vision and the room spun. Every bone suddenly felt like cement. Pain swelled inside him like a rising tide, creating a strong feeling of nausea. Bile rose in his throat. He cursed under his breath. His injuries were worse than he had first thought.

A slight knock came from the other side of the room. Nico whipped his head to the door.

"D-don't come in!" he commanded. _No one can see me like this. _

"Are you alright in there?" a voice called.

Nico couldn't answer. His breathing was too labored at this point. He needed to work through the pain alone, then slide back into his cot when he could stand again. No one would have to see him this helpless.

"Nico?"

The voice was hardly a murmur compared to the beating of his heart in his ear. The doorknob turned.

_No. Please, just go. _

The door opened; slowly at first, then hastily as they noticed Nico's shaking body hunched over on the floor.

Nico found his voice between labored breaths. "I said not to come in here!" He squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm fine. Just leave." he growled. Nico couldn't hear the response, much less the footsteps that hurried toward him. All of a sudden, he was lifted off the ground and carried like a small child. The pain was eased a bit the moment he was touched, but Nico still thrashed. _No one _touched him. He blindly threw punches at the one who was holding him. His eyes burst open in anger, focusing in on the face of his handler. Everything froze, the only thing moving was Nico's heaving chest.

_Why did it have to be Will?_

Time resumed, and Will placed him on his bed. Nico's pain and anger also resumed, now intertwined with embarrassment. Will grabbed Nico's arm gingerly and tried to slip a needle into it, but Nico yanked away.

"I told you not to come in here." Nico's shaking voice full of scorn and regret. Silence fell like a blanket of snow. Will grabbed Nico's arm once again and poked the needle of the IV drip into his pale skin. Nico couldn't look at him. Will was the one who shattered the silence.

"Why didn't you call for help?" He asked. No answer. "You're lucky I was coming in here already to change your bandages. It could have been hours since another nurse came in here, and that long without an ambrosia or an Apollo kids' touch could have been excruciating, Nico."

"I would have been fine," Nico muttered.

"No, you wouldn't have. You-"

"You aren't qualified to tell me what I can and cannot take, Solace!" Nico snapped, whipping around to face him. "I have been through more pain than you could ever imagine-"

"Nico-"

"I live off of it, alright? So you can't say-"

"Nico!" Will shouted, silencing him. "Now is not the time to be prideful. You are too weak right now and you need help. You may be my patient now but you're my friend first and I can't let you hurt yourself any more than you already have!"

Nico looked away.

The rest of Will's routine was completed without a word. He gently unwrapped his bandages and laced on fresh ones. Nico looked at the gauze Will had removed. It was flecked with bits of blood. Nico swallowed the questions that itched in his throat. He needed to know what had happened to him, but couldn't utter a word. Not to Will. He could still feel the heat of humiliation in his hollow cheeks. Will had seen him in a pathetic, vulnerable state that only few had seen. And he doubted Will would ever forget it. Nico shook.

When Will was finished, Nico curled up and threw the covers over himself with his back to Will.

"Is there anything you need before I go?" Will asked one more time, avoiding eye contact. Nico shook his head from under his covers. He listened to Will's footsteps as began to leave.

Before he reached the door, Nico finally spoke, "I could've handled it, you know."

Will's voice was soft. "I know that. But you didn't have to."

With that he left the room, turning the light off on the way out. In a few hours, the healing magic and ambrosia would wear off, leaving Nico alone with his pain. He curled up, staring at the plain white wall.

_Why? _Nico thought to himself, clutching the blanket in his fists. He let his dark eyes flutter close. _Why must I always mess everything up?_


	2. Chapter 2: Guilt

Will picked at his food the next morning, a bored look on his face. All around him, his brothers and sisters sat amongst each other, talking loudly and eating in order to prepare for another long day of rushing around the infirmary. Will knew he should have been eating too. But how could he when so many thoughts already consumed him?

Will was shaken out of his daze when someone plopped down besides him. Will smiled and greeted his half-sister, Kayla.

"You look like you haven't slept a wink," she stated, pointing at the dark circles under his eyes with her fork.

"That isn't completely untrue I suppose," he admittedly, running his hand through his golden hair. "It was a busy night for me."

"Oh yeah?" Kayla asked, obviously more interested in her food.

Will decided to continue anyways. "Yeah. An Aphrodite kid threw up on me when I first started my shift, then I had to deal with _another _archery related injury."

"Uh huh."

"Also that Hades kid finally woke up-"

Kayla slammed her fork down, finally paying full attention. "_The _Hades kid? As in Nico di Angelo?" She wiggled her eyebrows at Will suggestively. "How'd that go for you?"

"Well he tried to punch me and then yelled at me for helping him. So just fine I guess." Will shrugged as if it were nothing.

"Is that disappointment I hear in your voice?" Kayla cupped a hand around her ear and leaned in, a brilliant grin stretching across her lips.

Will forced a smile and shook his head. "You're reading too far into this. I'd react the same way if any patient behaved like that."

"Oh yes. I am so sure," she replied sarcastically.

Will shook his head again, leaning back in his chair. "Whatever, Kayla. He's here for at least another week since he reopened a few stitches. Not to mention the fever… so yeah. He's going to have to learn to yell at his doctor. Or hit him."

Kayla sighed and stood up with her tray. Will followed behind her, dumping their leftover breakfast into a crackling fire for their father.

"You are so hopeless." Kayla said as she jogged off to her morning shift.

Will watched her leave. While their conversation had helped ease his rambling thoughts, his mind still drifted toward Nico. The image of him collapsed on the ground, quaking in both searing pain and anger. The hatred in his voice...

Will sighed, hoping that the day's work would keep his mind occupied from the guilt.


	3. Chapter 3: Explanation

**Hope everyone's enjoying this so far! I have to write these chapters late at night when I'm done with homework so please let me know if I've misspelled anything. Thanks for reading!**

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><p>Nico shivered under his thin blanket. A nurse this morning had asked if he needed another blanket and he turned it down. Idiot, he scolded himself. He wished for his warm aviator jacket and the rest of his dark attire. He wished for his own bed. Instead he was stuck here without any information, dressed in this silly hospital gown. Where were his clothes anyways? He obviously hadn't come to infirmary in this.<p>

_Shit._

His heart thudded and his cheeks flushed as he came to a sudden realization. Someone had taken off those clothes and redressed him. His face burned with humiliation. Even though it was protocol to change a patient into the gown if they were unable to, the thought made Nico want to shadow travel to China. Of course, that wouldn't have worked. Not while he could barely sit up without feeling nauseous.

The door swung open. Nico forced himself to stop shivering as Will stepped in. Memories from the previous night played in his mind.

Nico stared right into his sapphire eyes.

"You didn't even knock," Nico stated.

"You wouldn't have let me in if I had," Will paced farther into the plain room, shutting the door behind him. Both were pretending that the other night had not happened, leaving a fake sense of casualness floating between them.

Nico cut to the chase. "Just tell me why I am here."

Will raised a brow. "You don't remember anything?" Nico shook his head. "I guess I'll keep it simple then. You were supposed meet up with a group of demigods that were returning from a quest. Through Iris message, we were told that one of the three were severely injured, and asked if they could receive assistance getting up to Half-Blood Hill.

"Another Apollo kid, Lin, was sent to help the healing process, and you were sent with him so you could fight off any incoming monsters. Word was that with that many demigods, even if it was necessary, a lot of monsters were attracted from all angles. Lin told us that you tried luring them away from the injured by running into a forest. It worked too well and you were overwhelmed." At this point, he could tell Will was leaving out the graphic details. And for a moment, Nico was sure that Will was doing it to protect himself. His sky-blue eyes drifted. Nico studied this raw side of him carefully, as if the sunshine boy was suddenly made of ash. Even the tiniest breath could destroy him. Will cleared his throat, and in an instant, the energetic side of him was back. "Anyways, I came in to tell you that you're in here for quite some time. Ambrosia can fix the broken rib problem in a matter of days but the poison..." he tapped his pen on his clipboard. "That's going to need to run its course."

Nico's eyes widened. "Poison?"

"Yes, poison," Will said casually, as if they were talking about an upcoming tea party rather than a venom that was supposedly running through Nico's blood stream. "One of the monsters that you took on must have had poisonous claws or teeth. It doesn't make a difference now. Any day now a fever kick in that not even ambrosia could cure. So leaving the infirmary is a no-no"

So many statements and questions shouted in Nico's brain. He wanted to complain. He wanted to thank Will. He wanted strangle him. He wanted to hug him.

Instead, just looked away. "Fine."

Nico could hear the smile in Will's voice. "Wise choice, Death Boy. I'll see you for dinner tonight, yeah?"

Nico shrugged. "Do whatever you want. You're the one who's in charge here. Just don't call me that."

Will laughed, and then exited the room. When he was alone again, Nico wanted to slap himself._ Why must I always blush when he visits me? Why do I have to be here? Why am like this?_

Of all the regretful questions, one stood out the most: _Why couldn't I have just said sorry_? Nico lay flat on his back, waiting for his body to finally succumb to sleep. Slowly but surely it did, bringing with it the darkness of dreaming.


	4. Chapter 4: Night Horrors

For once, Nico couldn't tell it was a dream. It all felt too real. Bianca stood in front of him, held up by onyx chains. Her head was tilted down, dark shadows casting across her olive skin. Fire burned all around them, causing thick smoke to coil into Nico's lungs. When he reached out to free her, her head jolted upward to stare into his eyes. Tears of blood streamed down her cheeks. Her skin began to crack and erode like a broken china doll. Nico gasped and fell back.

_It's not your fault, brother. _Her voice echoed calmly, even though her lips had remained unmoving.

Nico's eyes welled with tears. He cupped her face. "I'm so s-sorry," he choked. In an instant, her body dissolved into dust, sweeping away into the fiery background. Desperate, Nico dashed forward to catch the remains.

"You can't leave me yet!" He screamed after he, his voice desperate and hoarse. As he ran, he lost his footing. Nico crashed into the ground, sobbing. He looked at the clenched fist that clutched the few grains of dust. He held it tight against his body.

"Please..." he said, his quivering voice hardly a whisper. "You're all I have left."

The dream slowly faded away. Nico opened his wet eyes. The light was out in his room, and both lunch and dinner trays laid waiting for him. He tried to calm his racing heart.

_It was just a dream...it was just a dream. _

He glanced at his bedside table to distract himself, cocking his head at the new item left there. Folded up neatly was a fluffy grey blanket. On top was a small note written in messy penmanship.

_You can't hide your shivering from this doctor, Death Boy! You can thank me later. _

_~Doc. Solace_

Nico grabbed the blanket off the table, his heart calming. He swaddled himself in it, bunching the soft fabric between his fingers. It's comforting scent allowed Nico to sway back into sleep. Not one nightmare dared to invade his mind.


	5. Chapter 5: Regrets

**Thank everyone for the reviews/follows/favorites! They really make may day. **

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><p>"Gods, just eat, Nico," Will pleaded. Nico just stared at the plate, a nervous shine in his eyes.<p>

"I'm not hungry," he stated, his arms crossed.  
>"You slept through lunch and dinner yesterday, and now you're not hungry?" Nico paused, then nodded. Will resisted the urge to beg on his knees. "Nico, please. You'll never get better if you keep this up!"<p>

"I can't even look at it, alright? Just...take it away from me."

"I cannot allow that! With the amount of ambrosia we are supplying you, it isn't safe be on an empty stomach." Will scolded. "Now eat before I have to feed you myself."  
>Nico shook his head and closed his eyes. "You're being childish. Please, Nico. Make this easier for me." When there was no response, Will took action.<p>

"No! Please just- Will!" Will ignored Nico's cries as he tried to force a spoonful into his mouth. Nico swatted away his attempts. Even at his weakest, Nico was tough beat.

"Nico, stop," Will commanded. In Nico's moment of hesitation, Will was able to stuff a spoonful in his mouth. Nico swallowed, a look of utter betrayal in his eyes. He looked miserable. Will immediately felt guilty.

"That wasn't so bad, was it? Just a few more bites and-"  
>"Please. No more," Nico whispered, a hand cupped over his mouth.<p>

Will took a step back. _I never wanted to hurt you._ "Nico, I'm sorry. I just don't want you to suffer any longer than you have to. The only way we can keep the pain away completely is with ambrosia, and eating that alone for an entire day is just too risky. So please...just try. For me."  
>Nico refused to make eye contact. Will gingerly set down the spoon on his tray. He walked to the door.<p>

"I won't force you anymore. I'm sorry it had to lead to that." He closed the door behind him. _Yup. You really screwed up that one, Will._ Why didn't he see it? The nauseous aura, the disgusted position, the miserable gleam in his eye. He knew Nico needed it. His doctor's tuition was right about that. It was done to help Nico. Then why did he feel this heavy weight in his chest? Will had signed up to take care of Nico because nobody else would, and since he thought he could read him well. But did he really know him? Will rubbed his temples. Yes, he really screwed up this one.

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><p>Nico spent the day clutching his stomach in agony. Every breath he took pained him. He refused the ambrosia they offered him. The thought alone made his stomach knot and lurch. It hardly mattered; he doubted he would be able to hold it down. Without ambrosia, the pain from his ribs and the poison returned. Sweat beaded his forehead.<p>

"This is the start of the fever, I believe," explained a young nurse with dark brown skin and short curly hair. She didn't look very serious about her work, but Nico could see through that. The girl was very keen for her age, better than most of the older demigods that trained here. Not that Nico knew many doctors. Hardly any of them would dare to go near him. The nurse was still was still talking. "It would get along faster if you maintained healthy habits, such as hydrating and consuming the meals we bring you," she said as she noted the full breakfast tray and glass of orange juice. Nico tried not to let any pain escape from his voice.

"I'll consider it. Now let me rest."  
>The nurse sighed."Very well. If you anything hurts, you can request a healing chant at any time." She tucked her clipboard under her arm and wheeled out of the room. Nico always regretted sending his nurses away. As much as he hated to admit it, their presence alone made the pain more bearable. They were good distractions, if nothing else. Hugging the blanket he was given the night before, Nico wished Will was there. He should have been mad at him, he should have been awaiting his apology. He should have been too ashamed to show his face. Why did he want that sunshiney idiot here? Time and time again, Nico proved that he could endure pain alone.<p>

_ But...do I even have to anymore?_


	6. Chapter 6: Truth

**Two chapters released in a row? Sounds good to me! ****This chapter is a bit short, so I decided to post it at the same time as the other one.**** Don't be afraid to point out any spelling or gramatical errors. I write these late at night after I finish my butt load of homework, so I don't mind being corrected. **

**Hope everyone is having a nice day/week, and thank you for continuing to read my little fic :)**

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><p>"Yup, you're fever's climbing alright," the nurse from before (her name was Elli, as he learned) said, scratching down results on a clear clipboard. Nico noticed that she was the only demigod here that voluntarily took notes. Most of the others just played tic-tac-toe on theirs.<p>

Nico crossed his arms. "Does it even matter? I just want to know when it will end so I can get out of here already," he prodded.

Elli fluffed a pillow then placed it gently behind him. "I wouldn't look forward to your check-out time so soon. It's only day two of the fever."

Nico leaned back all the way, his cot creaking. The pain had subsided for a moment from Elli's healing chant, but still. Something felt _wrong. _He stared at the ceiling with empty eyes. "I can't stand this place. And most of the people here can't stand me." He scoffed. "I can't blame them. I must reek of death."

Elli sighed. "I'm sorry you feel this way, Nico. I genuinely am. But we're trying as hard as we can at the moment."

Nico didn't take his eyes of the ceiling.

"Especially Will," she added.

Nico's stomach fluttered nervously. He played it off coldly. "That guy? He's hardly ever in here. You're the only one who actually seems to care."

Elli let her professional attitude drop. "Well I'm not, alright? Do you how much sleep Will has lost over worrying about you? He may never admit it, but anyone who tries hard enough can see it."

Nico shrugged passively, but his heart pounded painfully against his ribcage. "I wouldn't be able to tell. Considering that he never comes near me."

"Fine," she said, sliding out the door. "I'll just have to convince him to stop by more frequently." The door clicked behind her.

_ Nonono no no. No._

"Hey!" He called after her, "That's not what I meant!" No answer. He pressed his palms on his eyes, creating illusions of floating stars on his eyelids. Heat rushed to his cheeks, spreading to the tips of his ears. Nico shook his head.

"Idiot," he hissed at himself. He let out a small cough. "Idiot, idiot, _idiot."_


	7. Chapter 7: Hope

**Hello readers! This chapter is a short one, so I'll probably post the next one right after this. Thanks again for the kind feed-back! You darlings are the best ;D**

"He asked to see _me?_" Will asked, trying and failing not to sound shocked.

"Mm hm. Complained that his doc was never around so I told I'd fix that for him," Elli replied. The two sat outside of Hermes cabin, enjoying their break while they could. Will scratched his head. "Huh. That seems a bit out of character for him, doesn't it? Usually he'd ask to _not_ see someone."

Elli rolled her eyes, running out of patience. "Well, he did and it'd be rude for you to turn down his simple request."

"Of course I won't turn it down. He and I both know the infirmary keeps me busy, but I'll check in on him soon if I have time. Otherwise," he shrugged, "it is what it is."

Nico was his patient. Even though it was hard, he couldn't play favorites. That's just how it worked. _Then why is my heart beating like this?_

Elli uncrossed her legs and stood up. There was a smidge of disappointment on her young face. "Fine then. I'm going to head back and take care of _your _patient since you won't." She turned and began walking.

Will bit his lip and looked down, his light hair brushing his cheeks. Screaming thoughts and emotions battled in his head. All of a sudden, he bolted up, chasing after the young nurse. He grabbed her shoulder. She turned around to face him.

"You know what? I'm free now so I'll go and check up on him for you," Will suggested.

"Whatever you think is best, doc," she said passively, though a small smile quirked at her lips. When Will began to head to the infirmary, he smiled too. It was his first one in a while, he realized. The first real one anyways. He enjoyed how natural it felt on his lips as strolled forward, a renewed lightness in his step. He hadn't realized how much he needed to do this, to see him.

_ Let's do it right this time, Nico._


	8. Chapter 8: Rest

**Welp, here it is: the next chapter. Thank you all so, so much for reading/reviewing! It means a lot!**

Words swelled on the tip of Will's tongue. He fidgeted with the pen in his pocket as he walked through the naturally lit halls of the infirmary. His sky blue eyes dashed around, hoping the sights would occupy his mind. His stomach was a knot of anxiety and excitement. When he reached patient room 203, he paused, his fist hovering above the wooden door. He swallowed and laughed nervously at himself. What was he so afraid of? Sucking in a deep breath, he knocked softly on the door.

Silence. "Nico?" he called, cracking the door open just a bit. Soft light filtered in. When there was still no answer, he let himself in. Will quietly stepped over to the bed, peeking over. There, Nico slept in a huddle, his red cheeks buried in the blanket Will had left on his nightstand. At a first glance, he looked peaceful. But Will had trained as a doctor for long enough to notice the small symptoms, such as the occasional shake in his breath, the cold sweat dotting his collarbone and forehead, and the evident tension in his body.

He gently placed the back of his hand over Nico's forehead. The heat was dangerously intense. Will forced himself not to worry. It wasn't the first time he encountered a demigod with such a fever from venom. This was how it always worked.

But something about seeing Nico made Will's common sense subside for a moment, leaving fear to grip him. He glanced at the plates of untouched food on the side table, sighing. Nico had hardly even touched his ambrosia, a vital element for the removal of pain. Will ran his fingers through his unruly blonde hair. He thought about what Nico said the day before, of how he said he couldn't even look at his food. He must have meant ambrosia as well.

"Nico, Nico, Nico," Will whispered to himself, "what am I to do with you?"

Will lowered himself to his knees by the side of the bed and closed his eyes. Quiet lyrics of ancient Greek floated out of his mouth, echoing lightly in the small room. As he sang the healing chant, he let his head fall onto the cot. His eyes opened slowly, his heart still focused on the song. He watched as the tension eased from Nico's body. He sang until Nico's breath evened out and every last drop of pain in his face had dissolved. When the chant faded out, all that remained was the sound of their breathing.

He watched Nico's chest slowly move up and down under the blankets. When he exhaled, his dark bangs ruffled slightly like a raven's feathers. Will smiled, resisting the urge to tuck the black hair behind his ears. He wondered if Nico was dreaming. Dreams were usually bad news to a demigod. Even with his current peaceful exterior, there could easily be chaos reigning in his mind. Will remembered how he used to deal with dreams when he was a small child. After waking up from nightmare's, he would throw himself into his mother's arms, where she would coax him back to sleep by running her fingers through his hair.

Hesitantly, Will did the same to Nico's hair. It was softer than he expected, and the action felt natural to him. A warm smile brushed onto his cheeks. On his knees, with his head rested on Nico's bed, he stayed there for what seemed like hours. The sleepless nights he had spent worrying were finally catching up with him.

Will let his eyelids fall. He drifted into sleep, the beating of two hearts following him.

**Hope you**** enjoyed that fluffy little chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9: Dawn

**I have a little short but sweet chapter for you guys. I had no idea how many loyal readers and kind commenters I would get when I first wrote this, and I honestly can't be more grateful for you guys :D In short, thank you all so so so much!**

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><p>Nico woke to the sight of Will leaned against the foot of his bed, sound asleep. He blinked. His vision still hazy from sleep, he considered the possibility that it was only a dream. Maybe the fever was peaking, and he was hallucinating. None of these things seemed very likely.<p>

For a moment, Nico was frozen, his breath caught in the back of his throat, but his heart rate remained steady. _Why am I not freaking out?_ It didn't make sense. For months, the lone sight of Will made Nico flustered in a way that made him furious at himself. Even in the infirmary, when there were so many other things to be concerned about, Will's visit always made Nico panic a little. But now…

Nico felt calm. His heart didn't race. There wasn't chaos screaming in his mind. For the first time in forever, he felt comfortable. Every tense moment between them fell through the floor, burying themselves in the ground where they could grow into better memories. Nico exhaled, mucus rattling in his throat.

The scarce but vibrant dawn light filtered through the window in the corner of the room. The light casted an orangey glow upon Will's unkempt hair. Nico studied his face. Faded freckles dotted his cheeks and nose like constellations. Like his hair, his eyelashes were long light.

A bittersweet hatred washed over Nico, filling him slowly like a rising shore line. Usually, feelings like this were harsher. But this time, its fire was doused by sadness. He scoffed at himself, tilting his head up the the ceiling. It always had to happen to him, this feeling of hopelessness for another person. It always ended in flames that somehow managed to burn Nico. He felt like an idiot for believing that it could be different this time.

But he did.

He glanced back at Will, still sleeping at the foot of his bed, noting the heavy bags under his eyes. "You sunshiney idiot," he said quietly, "it isn't smart to lose sleep over a lost cause."

Nico weakly kicked a thin blanket off the side of his bed, trying to make it look like an accident that it partially fell onto him, then curled back into a ball. Things were always simpler in dreamless sleep.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked it!<strong>


	10. Chapter 10: Skies

**It's been a while, guys. Thank you for everything, honestly. This story has way more recognition than I could have ever hoped for. You have given me the confidence to write many more works after this one. Thanks!**

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><p>Will snuck out at the crack of dawn, his heart pumping. His hair was a mess, he had drool on his face, and his next shift started in only a few hours. <em>Wonderful, <em>he thought to himself. Not to mention, Nico had most likely caught him in the act. He wasn't one to sleep the whole night, and the blanket messily draped over Will most likely wasn't a coincidence. He smiled at the thought that Nico didn't summon all of the spirits of the underworld to expel him from the room. He was probably too weak to do that anyways, but it was the thought that counted.

Even though his face was smushed against the leg of a bed the whole night, he had actually felt as if he had a full night of sleep for the first time in...well, since Nico showed up at the infirmary. Will paced down the hall, slipping into a bathroom. Shutting the door behind him, he turned turned on the sink faucet. He watched the water flow down the drain for a moment before splashing it on his face. The water was cool and refreshing, sending shivers down his spine. Just what he needed to wake up.

Will switched off the faucet and shook any excess droplets off the tips of his curling hair. He stared at the mirror for a moment. He noted the dark circles under his eyes and the overall look of fake togetherness. Closing his eyes for a moment, he hoped this wasn't the Will that Nico saw. His smile was meant to deceive. It covered the fact that underneath, he was a just a tired, worn down kid. He knew he didn't have much to complain about; there were so many other demigods that had it infinitely worse than him. Which is why he never brought it up. If those demigods could survive tragedy after tragedy and still wear a smile, then he had no right to feel self pity.

Will shook his head. How easy it was for him to get lost in his own thought. He shook his freckles hands three times, spraying water droplets onto the walls. He pulled on a smile, trotting down the hallway. If he could get ready before any other campers, then he would be the first in line for what he loved most: food. His stomach growled impatiently at the thought; after falling asleep by Nico's he had missed dinner. Not that he regretted it of course.

"Hey," a voice said, interrupting his train of thought.

Will skid to a stop. He cautiously turned his head. Behind him, the door of Nico's room was cracked open a bit, even though Will was 90 percent sure he had shut it all the way. "Nico?"

Before he could receive an answer, someone fell onto the door, swinging it open all the way. "Nico? What the hell!" Will both screamed and whispered.

Nico began picking himself off the floor, smacking away Will's hand. "I feel fine," he assured him.

Will shook his head rapidly. "No no no no no," he rambled, pulling Nico up against his will. "No. You're obviously still sick. This isn't—"

"I've been stuck in there for _days, _Solace. Just let me go for a walk or something, or at least give me some other place to think. I'll come back later I promise."

Will shook his head. "_No. _I'm sorry, but no. I don't want you wearing yourself out. You're already in bad shape."

Nico snatched his arm away from Will. "I don't give a shit. I can't sleep, so I'm gonna go outside, and think. See ya". Nico stumbled to the ground as he attempted to walk away. He muttered curses under his breath, pushing himself up shakily.

"You can't even walk!" Will exclaimed, his as outstretched.

"Then carry me, dammit!"

Silence. Both of them stayed unblinking, Nico's eyes filled with horror and regret, Will's filled with disbelief.

"...Is that," Will breathed, "...a challenge?"

Nico's eyes were huge. "No. No way, Solace! Don't even—" His voice cut off as he was swept off the ground.

Will sprinted down the halls with the dark, squeamish demigod in his arms. Nico hissed threats as they wound through the dull halls. Nico batted at his face helplessly. "Will! I swear to the gods, Will, put me down!"

Will just laughed. "Gods, you're hard to carry!"

"Then don't carry me!" Nico squealed, his voice higher than he had intended.

Will had no intent to drop him. They rushed passed countless check-up rooms at an alarming speed, Nico too terrified to escape at this point. Will was glad that no one was bustling around at this hour. Even with exhaustion weighing down his shoulders, his feet flew across the floor effortlessly. Nico cursed incoherently in Italian, his whole body bobbing up and down with each rapid step. Will had to focus like never before in order to not trip and send them both tumbling. A laugh escaped his lips.

Will pushed the front door of the infirmary open, tumbling onto the grass. Nico rolled onto the lawn, his eyes wide. He threw a half-hearted punch at Will's arm. "What the hell was that?!" he panted.

"Will lay on his back, unable to suppress his grin. "You challenged me to carry you, and I did," he answered, as if it were as simple as that.

Nico placed his hand on his heart, panting. "You could have killed me! And I don't like being touched! What happened to keeping me in my room to heal?"

Will rolled onto his stomach, facing Nico. "Well, I had a sudden change of heart. It's not like you're injured, so no harm done. Besides," he said, closing his eyes, "you wanted out, right? Here we are."

Nico opened his mouth, then closed it, realising this wasn't an argument he wouldn't win. He lowered himself onto the grass. The sun sat low on the horizon, slowly but surely rising. Trees rustled and birds sung quietly all around them. Everything was soaked in the sky's orange glow.

Will questioned his reckless decision as the silence between them remained. "I can take you back, you know. I won't-"

"No," Nico interrupted quietly. He turned to Will, his expression blank. The rising sun cast shadows on his hollow cheeks and dark eyes. Guilt washed through Will, cool and unpleasant. But then…

Nico smiled. It was small, it was peaceful, and to most other people, it would be insignificant. But to Will, it was radiant, sending waves of warmth through him. Nico turned back the the sun. "You know," he spoke softly, "I haven't seen the sun rise in while."

The wind softly tousled their hair as they sat in sweet awe. Will looked up at the sky. Will was always up this early. He always had time to witness the sunrise, but never took the time to. After all, how could something that happened every day be life changing? Will let his blond eyelashes flutter close

"Thank you," he said, his words almost carried by the wind. "Thank you, Nico DiAngelo."


End file.
